UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS LOWELL Department of Cultural Studies/Art History www.uml.edu/dept/culturalstudies Spring 2011 Course Title: Art Appreciation Course and Section: Course 101, Section 205 (58101.205) Instructor: Class Meetings: Professor Kathleen Smith Email: Kathleen_Smith@uml.edu Office Hour: Mon, 5-6PM, Coburn 300 and by appointment Coburn Hall, Room 300, South Campus Monday and Wednesday 3:30-4:45 General Education Requirement: Historical Studies, Aesthetics, Cultural Diversity and GENED Text: Available at University Book Store Patrick Frank, Prebles' ARTFORMS: An Introduction to the Visual Arts (Pearson/Prentice Hall); ISBN-10: 0536285454 or ISBN-13: 978-0536285454 REQUIREMENTS AND ASSIGNMENTS CLASS DESCRIPTION/CLASS GOALS: The course introduces the student to the technical, aesthetic and historical aspects of architecture, sculpture, and painting. An analysis of the visual elements used in fine arts such as color, line, shape, texture, and principles of design are developed through slide lectures, museum visits and assigned readings. In addition, students investigate the purposes of art and visual communication and develop a heightened sense of critical thinking that allows them to investigate successfully different modes of representation, styles and media in a multicultural society. - Be able to analyze the formal character of art objects through visual analysis. - Understand connections between subject matter and formal choices. - Be able to identify the works of major artists and their artwork, including dates and places where they worked, the mediums they used (e.g., tempera, oil, fresco, marble, bronze), and subjects they portrayed. - Identify the stylistic characteristics of each major period within the scope of the course, e.g., Ancient Egyptian and Ancient Near Eastern, Classical, Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Modern, Contemporary/Postmodern, etc. - Write an informative, brief essay about works of art using visual analysis. 1
LEARNING OUTCOMES OF THE COURSE: Please read carefully The Art History Position Statement and The Objectives of Art History. I. To provide to the student with BREADTH OF KNOWLEDGE of History of Art by demonstrating familiarity with several different areas of knowledge and several different modes of inquiry in art history. II. To provide to the student The CRITICAL THINKING by demonstrating the ability to synthesize information, discover connections, differentiate between facts and opinions, assess evidence, draw conclusions, construct arguments on both sides of a debate using the best available evidence, solve problems, develop and test hypotheses in art history. III. To teach the student CLEAR COMMUNICATION by demonstrating the ability to communicate effectively: to articulate, support, and defend a position using appropriate modes of communication regarding art history. IV. To teach the student CULTURAL DIVERSITY by demonstrating the ability to compare and contrast different types of artistic developments in different cultures. CLASS COMPORTMENT: Since this is a professional presentation at the university level, you are not permitted to eat and you are not permitted to converse or text message on cellular phones during class lectures and discussion. Cellular phones must be turned off at all times and must not be visible. Students are not permitted to tape the lectures without my permission. LAPTOP USE: All students who wish to use his/her laptop in class to take notes must sign a statement that ensures that the student is using his/her laptop to only take notes. ACCOMMODATIONS: Students must see me as soon as possible if you have a documented need or learning disability so that we can make arrangements for you. REQUIRED READINGS: There is one required textbook for this class. Reading assignments are due on the date that the assignment appears in the syllabus. Class participation and, hence, the final grade depend upon students' having completed the reading for each week's class. ATTENDANCE: Class attendance is mandatory. More than one unexcused absence from class will result in a reduced grade. An excused absence will only be granted for a documented illness or emergency, discussed with me in advance in person or via email. The maximum number of excused absences permitted, before a Dean's note and/or further documentation is required, is three. PARTICIPATION: While a portion of each class will take the form of lectures, classes will have time devoted to discussion. These discussions will use the weekly readings as their point of departure. The spirit in which both the readings and lectures are presented is intended to provide students with multiple approaches for considering both the art objects themselves and the ways scholars have approached the art of the period. EXAMINATIONS: There will be three examinations, on Monday, February 28; Wednesday, March 30; and Monday, May 2. 2
Examinations are based on specific material covered in class and on the required readings. Examinations missed without prior written excuse from the instructor or written excuse for medical or other emergencies cannot be made up. No electronic mail, fax, telephone, or voice mail is acceptable. WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT: There will be one 2-page paper assigned during the semester due on the last day of class, Monday, May 9. The written assignment will be a comparative paper between a choice of one of five artworks in the textbook and a work of art in a local museum/gallery of your choice. *You must attend a local museum/gallery to complete this required paper assignment. Papers are not accepted via email. There are no extensions for paper assignments. Half a letter grade (e.g. from A- to B+) will be deducted for each day that a paper is late. *NOTE ON PLAGIARISM*: Be careful never to copy directly or directly adapt from another author without crediting the source. General sources must be listed in a bibliography; any direct quotation or paraphrase must be footnoted. Any unacknowledged copying will receive and F for the course. GUIDELINES ON PLAGIARISM or ACADEMIC DISHONESTY FOR THIS COURSE: Since this is a professional presentation at the university level, collegiality and honesty must be honored. Please read careful the information regarding Academy Dishonesty and Etiquette Comportment. Students at UMASS Lowell are expected to be honest and to respect ethical standards in meeting academic assignments and requirements. A student who cheats on an examination or assignment is subject to administrative dismissal. The following definitions are provided for the information of all students and constitute official notice of prohibited academic practice and behavior. 1. Cheating is defined as: a) misrepresenting academic work which has been done by another as one's own efforts, whether such misrepresentation has been accomplished with or without the permission of the other individual; b) providing or utilizing prohibited assistance (whether in the nature of a person or a resource) in the performance of assignments and examinations; c) copying of another person's work or the giving or receiving of information or answers by any means of communication during an examination; d) utilization of the services of a commercial term paper company; and e) the unauthorized or fraudulent acquisition and/or use of another's academic property. 2. Plagiarism is defined as a) direct quotation or word-for-word copying of all or part of the work of another without identification or acknowledgment of the quoted work; b) extensive use of acknowledged quotation from the work of others which is joined together by a few words or lines of one's own text; and c) an abbreviated restatement of someone else's analysis or conclusion, however skillfully paraphrased, without acknowledgment that another person's text has been the basis for the recapitulation d) downloading information from the internet without direct quotation and reference, name of author, title of article or text and date. 3
HANDOUTS: Xeroxed materials will be given out throughout the course, including the one writing assignment. COURSE WEBSITE: http://faculty.uml.edu/ksmith/58.101.205/index.htm All handouts will be uploaded to the course website. Other important material will also be uploaded to the website, which I will announce throughout the semester. EVALUATION: The following grading percentages are intended as an approximate guideline to help students understand how grades are generally assessed in this class. The actually weight given each assignment may be altered somewhat depending on individual circumstances. Exams: Each of the three exams will count for 20% (total 60%) Paper: 25% Attendance and participation: 15% SCHEDULE of CLASSES, READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS: (N.B. SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE) Week 1 M, Jan 24 Introduction: Scope of the Course. W, Jan 26 The Nature of Art: Discussion of Terms. Textbook: Prebles, Chapter 1 Overview- Ancient to Medieval Art. Renaissance to Baroque Art. Week 2 M, Jan 31 The Nature of Art: Discussion of Terms Continued The Language of Art: Visual Elements Textbook: Prebles, Chapters 2-3 Overview- 18 th and 19 th Centuries. Modern and Contemporary Art. W, Feb 2 The Language of Art: Visual Elements Continued The Language of Art: Principles of Design Textbook: Prebles, Chapter 4 Week 3 M, Feb 7 The Media of Art: Or How is Art Made? From What is Art Made? -2D Works Textbook: Prebles, Chapters 6-7 W, Feb 9 The Media of Art: Or How is Art Made? From What is Art Made? -2D Works Continued Textbook: Prebles, Chapters 8-10 4
Week 4 M, Feb 14 The Media of Art: Or How is Art Made? From What is Art Made? -3D Works Textbook: Prebles, Chapters 11-12 W, Feb 16 The Media of Art: Or How is Art Made? From What is Art Made? -Architecture Textbook: Chapter 13 Week 5 M, Feb 21 PRESIDENTS DAY (NO CLASS, UNIVERSITY CLOSED) W, Feb 23 Chapters 1-13 REVIEW Week 6 M, Feb 28 EXAM #1 on Chapters 1-13 (Weeks 1-5) Ancient Art and Architecture (approx. last 15 minutes of class) W, March 2 Ancient Art and Architecture Continued Textbook: Prebles, Chapter 14 Visual Analysis *Paper Assignment distributed Week 7 M, March 7 Classical and Medieval Art and Architecture Textbook: Prebles, Chapter 15 W, March 9 Classical and Medieval Art and Architecture Continued Week 8 M, March 14 SPRING RECESS (NO CLASS, UNIVERSITY CLOSED) W, March 16 SPRING RECESS (NO CLASS, UNIVERSITY CLOSED) Week 9 M, March 21 18 th and 19 th Centuries- Neoclassicism/Romanticism/Realism Textbook: Prebles, Chapter 20, pp. 350-365 W, March 23 18 th and 19 th Centuries- Impressionism and Post-Impressionism Textbook: Prebles, Chapter 20, pp. 365-380 5
Week 10 M, March 28 Chapters 14, 15, 16, and 20 REVIEW *Paper Proposal due in class W, March 30 EXAM #2 on Chapters 14, 15, 16, and 20 (Weeks 6-10) Modern Art in the Early 20 th Century (approx. last 15 minutes of class) Week 11 M, April 4 Modern Art in the Early 20 th Century Continued Textbook: Prebles, Chapter 21 W, April 6 Modernism Between the World Wars Textbook: Prebles, Chapter 22 Week 12 M, April 11 Postwar Modern Movements in the West Textbook: Prebles, Chapter 23 W, April 13 Postwar Modern Movements in the West Continued Week 13 M, April 18 PATRIOT'S DAY (NO CLASS, UNIVERSITY CLOSED) W, April 20 Postmodernity and Global Art Textbook: Chapter 25 Paper Writing: Workshopping Your Short Paper *Sign-up for a meeting during the second half of the Monday, April 25 class, the Wednesday, April 27 class or the Wednesday, May 4 class to review the final draft of your paper Week 14 M, April 25 Conclusions and Review since Exam #2 Artists Speak: Selections from Art:21, Art in the Twenty-First Century Art:21 is a PBS documentary series about contemporary visual art in the United States and the artists who make it. *You should have a draft of your 2-page paper done at this time 6
Paper Writing: Workshopping Your Short Paper *If you signed up for this day, remember to bring in a copy of the final draft of your 2-page paper W, April 27 Paper Writing: Workshopping Your Short Paper *If you signed up for this day, remember to bring in a copy of the final draft of your 2-page paper. Week 15 M, May 2 EXAM #3 on Chapters 21-23 and 25 (Weeks 11-14) W, May 4 Paper Writing: Workshopping Your Short Paper *For those who signed up for this day, remember to bring in a copy of the final draft of your 2-page paper. Week 16 M, May 9 2-page paper due in class! It will NOT be accepted via email. 7